Free Returns vs Buyer Pays

[iamalwaysright]

So typically all of my listings are free returns. But one of my accounts I have decided to dabble in the Buyer Pays return shipping choice. I've noticed something that I'm not sure was there before. 

Those of you who have Buyer Pays returns, what percentage out of buyers who file remorse returns actually ship the item back to you? Back when I first adopted free returns I noticed about 20% or so buyers not shipping their items back. But now it's much lower like less than 5%, buyers are more adamant to successfully return the item.

Maybe my sample size is too small because with that account, I have 3 returns filed over the course of the last 30 days (roughly 1% return rate). 2 of the returns were filed as remorse, 1 was a SNAD that I believe to be a false SNAD (buyer complained about the color shade that doesn't match but I think it does). Anyway, 2 of those remorse buyers never returned the item back and the returns got closed. Only the 1 SNAD buyer returned the item back. Could it be less remorse returns buyers are shipping things back because of the continuing rise of postage prices? How likely would those 2 remorse buyers successfully send their items back had I had free returns (seller pays return shipping)?

[inhawaii]

I don't accept returns, except INAD returns of course.

I see/read here all the time people saying that buyers will make a false INAD returns if you have a no returns policy. 

I just don't see that happening (to me anyways).

I can't even  remember the last time I had a false INAD return.

Just my two cents.

[ebooksdiva]

I used to offer free returns. I noticed I had quite a bit of returns when I was the one paying for the returns. Since changing to no returns a little over a year ago I haven't had any returns at all.

[brightlightbookseller]

We've been doing free 30 day returns for a while now to get the Top Rated Plus benefits on our listings, and assuming all of our listings qualify (I think they do, but I haven't checked and can't remember now how to check), we've saved approximately $200 a month in our discounted fees.  We definitely don't take an average of $200 a month loss in returns, so it works out in our favor.  That said, I have noticed an escalated number of returns over the past year or so, but I think the numbers are still very much in our favor, and most of them have not be INAD claims, so that keeps our service metrics low. We have 0.07% INAD claims right now, which granted we're not in a particularly high risk category, but that's still lower than the average for our "peers" according to eBay by quite a bit.

[bonanza125]

When a buyer does have an issue does your feedback take a hit with some buyers thinking it's not worth shipping back if they have to pay the shipping cost so they leave you a negative feedback? Free returns seller pays shipping can increase sales cause you would have a good return policy and also if negative feedback were to have been left then it would be easier for it to be removed cause the buyer had a chance or did return the item at no cost to them. It is definitely a factor that remorse buyers don't want to pay the shipping cost back at all let long the rise in shipping cost. 

[mamacassidy]

For my store, it just depends on the cost of the item. 

I sell mostly clothing, so I have a high rate of "doesn't fit" returns. However, once they open the return and see that they will not only have to pay to buy a shipping label, but then they will be refunded only the purchase price without the original shipping cost, many of them simply never ship it back.

I'm currently running a sale where most of my items are only $9.99, so if someone returns one of those, after they buy the return label, they may get $3 or $4 dollars back, which isn't really worth the effort to pack something up and send it back. 

When I'm not running my current sale, most of my items average in the $25-$30 range, and I'd say about 75% of those returns actually get sent back, but definitely not all.

[iamalwaysright]

@mamacassidy Interesting. Out of all the returns where you get the item back, how many of them are SNAD? And out of those, how many of them turn out to be false SNAD in your unbiased eyes?

[12345jamesstamps]

I have 'buyer pays return shipping'....never had one yet...LOL.

[mamacassidy]

@iamalwaysright 

Well, *knock on wood*, very few of them have been SNAD.

I can't say with any real proof or evidence, but my opinion is that because most of the clothing I sell is geared toward an older audience, I am able to mostly avoid the scammers and people who have seen YouTube videos on how to get free returns. 

The most recent SNAD I had was a super trendy vintage outfit was listed in "good" vintage condition (not very good or excellent condition). It was sent to some apartment in West Hollywood, CA. They returned it saying it was "covered in stains", but in my opinion, it just didn't fit them (it was tiny, like a vintage size 3) and they didn't want to pay for the return. It was a $28 item. As I mentioned above, this seems to happen more when I sell to the 'younger, trendier' audience.